MS Dhoni sponsors cricket fan to be present at India home matches

Ram Babu is MS Dhoni’s ardent fan whose expenses are sponsored by the Captain

Team India One-Day International (ODI) captain MS Dhoni has sponsored Test, ODI, T20I trips across India for a fan. A resident of Mohali, Ram Babu claimed to be travelling across Indian stadiums on Dhoni’s expenses.

Fan frenzy is not a new story in India. Sachin Tendulkar had it in Sudhir Gautam, a regular among the crowds and one of the most visible Indian cricket fans all across the world. Now limited-overs skipper MS Dhoni also has a similar dedicated follower. Babu stood out among the crowd in Mohali on the first day of play. He had the Indian tri-colour painted on the upper half of his body with ‘Miss u Dhoni’ written on his chest.

”I am a big fan of Dhoni bhaiyya. He has sponsored my T20, ODI and Test trips across India. Cricket was always a passion and Dhoni is my hero,” the 30-year old told PTI.

“I have been watching games in Mohali since its inception...maybe since 1997-98. But I only started travelling since 2008-09. It’s just great to be inside the stadium watching my team play and win,” he added.

Before the 2014 Twenty20 World Cup final, Babu fell sick and Dhoni himself rushed to his aid and ensured he got treated by the Indian cricket team doctor. He used to play cricket till the district level in Punjab. Death of his father in 2007 forced him to quit cricket, as he was the eldest in his family. He took up a job but couldn’t keep himself away from the sport and later turned into one of the biggest Dhoni fans.

Babu was seen chanting ‘Bharat Maata ki Jai’ and hoping for his team’s success. Giving him company was none other than Sachin Tendulkar’s superfan, Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary, with his head shaven and painted top to bottom in the colours of the Indian flag. He also had ‘Miss u Dhoni’ written on his chest, lamenting the recent retirement of Dhoni from Test cricket.

Sudhir, a huge Tendulkar fan, is a resident of Muzaffarpur in Bihar. He has travelled all over the world with the Indian team, supporting them in every match, including the 50-over 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The trip was entirely sponsored by the Maestro himself.

Apart from Babu and Gautam, another notable Indian cricket fan is Dharamvir from Madhya Pradesh. Member of the differently-abled state team, Dharamvir’s presence can also be felt at many cricket venues across India. The three ardent fans were also present at the team’s practice session on Wednesday.